The Joy Of Spending
There is nothing worse than a purchase you regret buying, whether it’s a dress that reminds you of a breakup, a painting bought online that never looked quite as good in real life, or a pair of shoes that maxed out your credit card.
Maybe you were feeling down and tried to lift your spirits with a shopping binge. Perhaps you were bored, or maybe you are simply addicted to shiny, new things. The good news is, you can change your shopping patterns, and replace negative experiences with positive ones.
In her book Women With Money Jean Chatsky, financial editor of NBC’s Today Show, says that we all need to understand our personal relationship between spending and happiness. And how you do that is by keeping track of your purchases and how they make you feel when you look at them a week later.
“Journalling about your purchase satisfaction can help you get a finer sense of your own feelings,” she writes in the book. “For a month or two, keep a list of everything you spend money on. Just jot down what you buy and how much it costs. Then, a week or so after you make each purchase, go back and note how you’re feeling about it in hindsight.”
Chatsky suggests asking yourself the following simple questions:
Are you glad you did it?
Do you wish you’d spent less?
Or should you not have bought it at all?
If the purchase still makes you happy a week later, then it will probably always bring you joy. If you wish you had spent less, the shine has worn off and regret is starting to creep in. If you wish you hadn’t bought it at all (and who hasn’t been there?), then you will be riddled with regret and maybe guilt too. And no-one needs to bring additional guilt and regret into their lives.
Start taking stock of all the purchases that still bring you joy – this is the type of purchase you want to focus on in future. Think about why these items make you happy. For some, it is something pretty that puts a smile on their face. For others, it is an item that represents great value.
For as long as I can remember, I have brought a little bit of joy into my life through spending. Whenever I achieved my next career goal, I would treat myself with a gift to celebrate. It was always an item that I had been aspiring to own, so I had to wait until a pay rise enabled the purchase – because I wanted to always remember the moment as special.
Personally, timeless luxury fashion brings me joy. I have pieces I’ve had for 30 years that still make me happy. I bought my first pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes in 1990 when I landed my dream job of Dolly magazine editor. When I became editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine, it was an Hermès watch; a Tom Ford-designed YSL classic black tuxedo when I became group publisher, women’s at EMAP; and a magnificent cherry-coloured Gucci evening gown when I took over the Hearst business at Bauer Media. Each of these items will stay with me forever as reminders of those happy events
I’m not the only Tonic staffer to invest in happiness through focused spending on joyful purchases, although each of us has their own approach to spending.
Rachelle’s most joyful purchase is a red lacquer cabinet in her office. “My study has pale blue walls, and there was an existing red chair in it,” she explains. “I didn’t know how to store the endless amounts of paper I have – I am big on making cards and wrapping things intricately – so when I found a modern red lacquer and gold trim cabinet with four deep drawers, I knew I had a solution.
“It now sits within my peripheral vision when I work, so it is both practical and pleasing.”
Ute’s best buy last year was a trans-seasonal coat, a purchase that was both impulsive and practical. “It was a total head-over-heels purchase – I fell for it the moment I saw it in the shop window. But it is also insanely versatile and has already earned its money back.”
Patricia gets a daily dose of joy from her 100th anniversary Moka by Bialetti coffee maker “in a lovely shade of red”.
“It makes the morning coffee ritual that bit special.”
Words_ Marina Go
Photo_ Sudan Ouyang/UnSplash
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